NCBT 00053

Letter of Nabû-ušallim to the High Priest (šatammu), “his lord”, reporting on the whereabouts of sheep. Arad-Gula removed 8 sheep from the flock and also gave ghee and 2 of these sheep to the palace scribe; the other six were for the ḫarû-offering (ḫarû). Širiktu, on the other hand, took 2 sheep for his son’s wedding and gave 1 to Nabû-bān-zēri. Zēriya took a perfect sheep and a šumēlu-sheep, 1sheep was taken by Nabû-ēṭir. The sender gave 2 sheep to the men from the south gate the letter recipient had sent to him. Moreover, the sender complains about a lack of allowances (kurummatu) for the workers of the warehouses, fearing emphatically that they will flee. He therefore requests that a messenger of the recipient gives Širiktu barley so that the sender can hand it out. In closing, the sender requests the recipient’s instructions concerning the men, again stressing that they will flee.